A reader inquired, “Something stated in a previous issue made me think you believe Satan is still in heaven. Please comment.”
In discussing the destiny of Satan, we commented: “Evidently, Satan still has access to heaven (Job 1-2; Zec. 3) but one day will be thrown out (Rev. 12:7-12).” This statement was meant to communicate that Satan is sometimes called by God to appear in heaven and that he would ultimately be thrown into the lake of fire, but it was, admittedly, not very well-worded.
At some time in the past, Satan was cast from heaven. Jesus said, “…I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Lk. 10:18; cf. Rev. 9:1; 12:7-9; 20:2). He is called the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). Still, he “…is subject to the government of God, and dependent on his commands” (Barnes Notes, p. 101), and if called to appear before God, would be required to go and obey. We mention this because Job 1:6 and 2:1 picture Satan as summoned to appear “before the Lord” with the “sons of God.” In Scripture, the phrase “sons of God” can refer to either angels or godly people (Rom. 8:14, 19; Phil. 2:15). Job uses the phrase three times (1:6; 2:1; 38:7) and seems to mean angels. For instance, the clearest passage (Job 38:7) says the “sons of God” shouted for joy at the world’s creation (no men were around).
Some understand “sons of God” in Job 1 to mean the family of Job, or other godly people. This may be the case, but makes less sense because Job was not present (why would his sons be there but not him?) and did not know anything about Satan being behind his suffering (he erroneously blames God, 1:21). It is also possible that the angels and Satan appeared “before God” at some place other than heaven, since God is omnipresent (Psa. 139), but God’s throne is in heaven (Psa. 11:4), and Satan says he had just come from “going up and down in the earth.”
A parallel passage may help us interpret Job 1. Machaiah saw “…the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so” (1 Kgs. 22:19-22; cf. 2 Chron. 18:18). In this passage, God is in heaven (where His throne is, Psa. 11:4), the “host of heaven” is the same as the “sons of God,” and “the lying spirit” the same as Satan.
In summary, this is not a question that will affect our eternal destinies. We can all agree that Satan goes only where God allows and is “bound with a chain” in this age (Rev. 20:1,2). He will ultimately be cast down to the lake of fire. The important thing is that we avoid going there with him. John warned, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15).
